


If I Had a Flower

by 2amEuphoria



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Brightwell, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Other, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, domestic brightwell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:20:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29453703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2amEuphoria/pseuds/2amEuphoria
Summary: He quirks a playful brow at her. “Can I help you?”“You forgot flowers.”
Relationships: Malcolm Bright & Dani Powell, Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40





	If I Had a Flower

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine’s Day, all. I miss writing for you dearly.
> 
> “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.”  
> -Alfred Tennyson

He’s always been a light sleeper, but something about fatherhood has made him sensitive to frequencies he doubts Dani, or even AFIS, could hear.

Malcolm rolls his head over to spot the source of pitter-pattering that had woken him: the top of their daughter’s head, her eyes and fingers just visible at the edge of the mattress.

“Daddy.” For only four, her whisper sounds too mature, too concerned.

“Alea.” He quirks a playful brow at her. “Can I help you?”

“You forgot flowers.”

________________

His mother had warned him about this. “The worst years are always when they first recognize traditions on holidays,” Jessica had told him and Dani during Alea’s first Christmas Eve. “Enjoy every Christmas without a 4am wakeup call, or an obligation to toss Easter eggs around the yard.”

Alea had mastered Christmas traditions by two, and mandated that AFIS have special doggie Easter Eggs in addition to hers by three. And now, his hand wrapped tightly around hers as they walk to Walgreens on this chilly February morning, he realizes that she’s figured out Valentine’s Day, as well.

“How’d you figure out the flower thing, AMBs?” he asks as the shop doors open before them. A devious grin sweeps over her face as she scrambles up into his arms, and suddenly he’s unsure of what she's hiding behind her answer.

“The movie last night,” she says proudly. Malcolm pouts in acknowledgment, earning a teasing giggle back from Alea. She brushes wayward strands of hair out of her father’s face with her mitten. “You were watchin’ too, Daddy, and you _still_ forgot!”

He playfully smacks a hand over his face to appease his daughter, and internally curses Dani for having them watch that foolish Taylor Lautner movie.

________________

As he fishes his keys out of his coat, he pulls Alea’s attention and nose away from the bouquet for a moment. “I want you to give those to Momma, okay?” 

Her soft brows furrow. “But they’re yours for Momma, you forgot-”

“ _Did_ I though?” He gives a wink in response to her quizzical stare, the face she's making all too similar to one of his own. “Let’s find out.”

Dani’s up and standing beside AFIS at the kitchen island when Alea busts through the door, trailing rose petals and sending the dog into a frenzy as she makes a bee line to her mother’s knees. “Momma! Happy Val’tine’s Day, Momma! Daddy forgot these but- but I told him- We got ‘em for you!”

Malcolm clocks the plethora of emotions that cross Dani’s face-confusion, adoration, surprise- as she scoops Alea up. He offers his wife a shrug and a smile when their eyes meet, seconds before their daughter presses the roses up to Dani’s nose.

“Mmmm,” Dani hums, pressing her forehead with Alea’s as she wraps her into a tighter hug. “These are beautiful, baby; thank you for thinking of me. Daddy doesn’t normally get me _real_ flowers for Valentine’s Day, though.”

Alea’s eyes never leave her father’s, even as Dani turns her around to show her three cardboard boxes on the countertop.

“I always get something for each of you,” Malcolm begins, tussling wisps of Alea’s hair as he joins them in the kitchen. “Something that I know each of you love.” 

“AFIS,” he shakes the first box as the greyhound prances up to his side, “loves cookies.” opening it to reveal gourmet, heart-shaped dog treats. He pops one into the air for AFIS to catch, chuckling as she spins and trots off to enjoy her snack in peace.

“Alea,” Malcolm moves onto the next box, presenting it to their daughter like a magician offering his top hat to a curious audience member. With Dani’s help Alea peels off the tape to uncover a dozen chocolate roses. “If there’s one thing you love more than the park, it’s chocolate,” he teases, unable to control his full-length grin at the look of astonishment on her face.

The present reveals get side-tracked briefly as Dani sets Alea up in a chair with a chocolate rose and AFIS returns for seconds (and thirds) of her treats. Malcolm’s snipping off thorns from the (actual) roses so Dani can arrange them in a vase when Alea breaks free of her chocolate-induced stupor.

“What about Momma’s gift?” She questions, smearing her ever-growing chocolate mustache onto her shirt sleeve. “What’s her suh’pise?”

Malcolm responds with a quick finger gun before retrieving the final box.

“Daddy always gets me the same thing, every year since we started dating.” Dani leans forward on the island to whisper to their daughter, pretending to be oblivious to Malcolm opening the box behind her. Red lights up her cheeks in response to Alea’s gasp and Malcolm’s presentation of a rose saffron lollipop over her shoulder.

“I didn’t forget to get Momma flowers, AMBs,” Malcolm reassures Alea, who’s beaming as Dani’s blush deepens. “I just give them to her in a way I know she’ll love them.”

Dani takes the lollipop from Malcolm, her cheeks still red. “Because it’s _your_ way, you dork,” she and Alea giggle as his lips meet her temple. “And you know I love you, and all your goofy ways.” She bumps him gently with her nose, having him pull back and readjust so she can turn and bring her lips to his. Alea squeals with laughter, and AFIS returns from her eating corner once more to join in on the fun (and, most likely, beg for another treat).

“G’job, Daddy,” Alea claps. “You didn’t forget Val’tine’s Day after all.”

Malcolm can only manage a wink and a smile at his daughter as Dani goes to kiss him again.

**Author's Note:**

> “We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness-and call it love-true love.”  
> -Robert Fulguhm, _“True Love”_
> 
> *Music inspiration from my personal favorite Valentine's Day (or any day) movie, _Sleepless in Seattle_ 's "A Wink and a Smile" by Harry Connick Jr.
> 
> AFIS's dog treats can be found by searching "Gourmet Frosted Mini Hearts - Dog Treats" on Etsy.
> 
> Alea's chocolate roses can be found here: https://morkeschocolates.com/dozen-chocolate-roses/
> 
> And finally, a recipe to make Dani's beloved rose saffron lollipops can be found here: https://dessertfirstgirl.com/2015/07/rose-saffron-lollipops.html


End file.
